Macular Pigment Optical Density in Healthy Eyes of Filipino Adults

Abstract

Objective: To determine the range of  macular pigment optical density (MPOD) levels in healthy Filipino adults using  both  the  MPS  II  and  the  macuscope  and  to  investigate  whether  age  and  sex  were  related  to  inter-subject variations in MPOD.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross sectional study of  168 healthy Filipino patients who underwent heterochromic filter photometry to measure macular pigment levels using the MPS II and the macuscope. The MPOD levels were averaged per age group and analyzed as to variations among age and gender.

Results:  One  hundred  thirty  (130)  and  thirty-eight  (38)  patients  underwent  MPS  II  and  macuscope  testing respectively. The mean MPOD level for MPS II was 0.39(±0.16) and for macuscope 0.27(±0.07). MPOD values were similar across all age groups and gender, but they were lower when measured with the macuscope.

Conclusions: MPOD levels measured among healthy Filipino adults were lower with the macuscope compared to  the  MPS  II.  These differences  should  take  into  consideration  the  differences  in  apparatus  and  techniques  of  measurement.